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Ch. 31: Diamond Cutter

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CHAPTER XXXI
OUR DIAMOND CUTTERS AND THEIR TRADE UNION
T'HE trade of diamond-cutting presents many points of interest, beginning with the high intrinsic value of the raw material entrusted to these workmen, upon whom their employers must rely for absolute honesty, rare skill, and the best of judgment. The diamond cutters in North America are not a great power numeri­cally in the world of labour, but their labour union is in some respects one of the strongest of such organisations.
Peter Goos, the first diamond polisher to settle in the city of Amsterdam, Holland, arrived there in 1588. In time the mere bruting or polishing of diamonds in Holland was succeeded by scien­tific cutting on geometrical lines and the ar­tisans employed in the work and their processes were evolved into a distinct and recognised in­dustry. In the year 1815 the leading diamond cutters of Holland convened, declared them­selves " masters," decided to employ, to begin
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Ch. 30: Gem Museum Collections Page of 451 Ch. 31: Diamond Cutter
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